Camerata at Paulie's

Houston sommelier David Keck is partnering with restaurateur Paul Petronella to open Camerata at Paulie's, a new wine bar next door to Paulie's Restaurant in Montrose. There, the two will strive to provide an unpretentious meeting place, similar to that in Florence, where guests can enjoy beverages that are made by people, not companies.

Named after the Florentine Camerata—a group of artists, musicians and writers in Renaissance Florence, Italy—the term "camerata" translates literally to a room where gatherings are held. These rooms incubated some of the greatest art and music in the history of Florence and birthed the concept of opera. The name appealed to both David and Paul because of the Italian heritage and their appreciation for music and art, especially Keck, who studied operatic performance at The Juilliard School and graduated with his Master's Degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. While traveling for singing, he pursued his passion for wine before deciding to focus exclusively on wine after graduation.

Beyond a well-versed beverage menu, Camerata patrons will also find a small plates menu touting fine charcuterie and cheese options.